


Stopwatch

by Thadeus



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-29
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 22:18:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/740773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thadeus/pseuds/Thadeus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto steps off the flagstone lift, body trembling with the movement, greatcoat swishing awkwardly around his person. There is congealed blood from an injury on his face, which is pale and tear-streaked. Beneath the greatcoat, his white dress-shirt is half untucked and spattered with dried blood. As he walks, his shoes leave a trail of soot that he doesn’t notice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pre-Credit Teaser

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a Spec Script for a scriptwriting course I took in college. It was fun.

TEASER

 

FADE IN:

 

INT. HUB - NIGHT

 

The Hub is harshly lit, with bright lights and dark shadows. The colors seem dull and faded. There is soft tinkling music playing from somewhere in the distance, like from a music box.

 

Gears churn, soundlessly. The flagstone lift begins to move, coming down from above. A lone figure in Jack’s greatcoat with a slumped posture stands upon it.

 

IANTO steps off, body trembling with the movement, greatcoat swishing awkwardly around his person. There is congealed blood from an injury on his face, which is pale and tear-streaked.

 

Beneath the greatcoat, his white dress-shirt is half untucked and spattered with dried blood. As he walks, his shoes leave a trail of soot that he doesn’t notice.

Ianto drops to a sit in Toshiko’s desk chair. He pulls his diary from the desk, opens it and begins to write.

 

IANTO (V.O.)

The team is dead. Everyone... everyone is dead. And I couldn’t stop it. Jack...

(beat)

Jack is gone.

(beat)

I waited so long for him to come back for me. I don’t know if it was hours, or days, I just couldn’t stand the smells of the death and fire around me anymore. Everybody is gone. But that doesn’t matter because-

(bitterly)

-I saved the world.

 

Ianto sets the pencil and diary down. He places his head in hands and his shoulders shake as he isn’t able to cry.

 

FADE OUT.

 

END OF TEASER

 


	2. Act One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it looks a little odd. Formatting scripts is balls difficult on here -_-

 

ACT ONE

 FADE IN:

 INT. HUB - NIGHT

 Ianto sits at Toshiko’s desk, injured and tired, wearing Jack’s greatcoat and writing in his diary.

 IANTO (V.O.)

It’s... it’s amazing. How you can work with somebody and every single day, you go in, you smile, you even talk a bit when you hand him one of his hourly coffees. And then one day...

 

Ianto pauses, looking up to Jack’s office, then continues to write.

 

IANTO

One day you wake-up, just like every other morning, and you go to work, and he says something, or does something that hits you. And you realize that you never really knew them at all. Because...

(beat)

How could he just abandon me? After what he said...

 

EXT. PARK - DAY

 

A play-area, set in a sand pit, 3/4th’s surrounded by a forest, with a road bordering the East.

 

JACK is on the West side, OWEN on the South and Ianto on the North. They have communication devices in their ears.

 

OWEN

God, it’s cold out here.

 

JACK

You should’ve worn your coat.

 

Noises of footsteps through the trees come near Owen.

 

OWEN

I’ve got movement.

 

Owen swings around to see DAVID (40), blond and average looking, with dark glasses wearing a t-shirt, ten feet away from Owen’s position.

 

David walks past Owen without even noticing him, and enters the play-area.

 

JACK

Hold your ground.

(beat)

Tosh?

 

TOSHIKO’s reply comes filtered, through the comm:

 

TOSHIKO

Just ahead of you. No more than 50 feet.

 

David starts to walk towards the road.

 

JACK

(to Owen, Ianto)

Be ready to go on my order.

 

David suddenly halts in step. He looks down, staring at something at his feet:

 

An alien device (small and round, covered in alien text, with a shiny dark bauble that looks like a black gemstone and a little cube on opposite ends) lays half-buried into the sand.

 

David goes to it and lifts the device. He turns it over in his hand, stopping and staring at the bit with the dark bauble.

After a moment of hesitation, he puts the alien device into his pocket and continues walking.

 

OWEN

Jack...

 

IANTO

Wait. I’ve got this.

 

Ianto exits the forest, heading towards David.

 

JACK

Ianto!

 

David is near the edge of the park. Ianto walks quickly with his head down. Ianto walks directly into David. David jumps back in surprise.

 

DAVID

Hey!

 

IANTO

Oh, I’m sorry, sir!

 

David is having trouble breathing.

 

DAVID

Yeh, well, watch it. You don’t know what kind of people you might run into out here.

 

IANTO

Yes, sir, thank you. Again, very sorry.

 

David walks off.

 

When he’s out of sight, Owen and Jack run up to Ianto.

 

OWEN

What was that? You let him get away!

 

IANTO

He wasn’t the target.

 

OWEN

But he has the device!

 

IANTO

What, you mean this?

 

Ianto pulls the device from his pocket and holds it out.

 

JACK

I’ll take that, thank you.

 

Ianto passes the device off to Jack.

 

OWEN

(to Ianto)

You’re a pickpocket?

 

IANTO

It would seem.

 

OWEN

Where’d you learn that?

 

IANTO

College.

 

OWEN

Seriously?

 

IANTO

I learned a lot of things in college. Apparently I’m very skilled with my hands.

 

Jack grins.

 

JACK

He really is.

 

Owen shudders. Ianto blushes and looks down.

 

Jack just grins, device in hand.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Owen, GWEN and Toshiko are at their desks. Ianto has a tray with two coffee left on it. He approaches Toshiko’s desk and passes her a cup.

 

IANTO

Here you are.

 

TOSHIKO

Thanks Ianto.

 

IANTO

Find anything interesting?

 

TOSHIKO

No rift activity since this morning.

 

IANTO

Don’t give up hope. There are plenty of blood-sucking aliens left in the galaxy.

 

INT. JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

 

Jack sits at his desk, doing paperwork. The Alien Device is on his desk.

 

Ianto enters.

 

IANTO

Coffee, sir.

 

JACK

Thank you, Ianto.

 

Ianto half-nods, passing the coffee off to Jack, and then notices the alien device on the desk.

 

IANTO

Did you want me to put that in the archives, sir?

 

Jack sets the coffee onto the desk.

 

JACK

No, that’s all right. It’s not dangerous.

 

IANTO

You’ve encountered one before?

 

JACK

Yeh. Look.

 

Jack takes the device in hand. He rotates the cube until it clicks into place. Jack touches the dark bauble and it begins to glow a deep blue.

 

Tinkling music begins and Jack looks up at Ianto, who is delighted.

 

IANTO

A music box.

 

Jack places the alien device onto the desk, then stands. 

 

He walks over to Ianto and extends a hand.

 

Ianto hesitates, then takes Jack’s hand. They do a slow dance.

 

JACK

What’s the matter?

(beat)

Are you afraid someone might see us?

 

There is a moment, and then Ianto sighs and rests his head on Jack’s shoulder.

 

A knock comes to the door.

 

Ianto and Jack come apart as Gwen pokes her head in.

 

GWEN

Sorry if I’m interrupting.

 

Jack looks to Ianto, who is visibly uncomfortable.

 

JACK

No.

 

GWEN

Tosh’s found something.

 

JACK

We’ll be right down.

 

GWEN

Right, Yes.

 

Gwen makes a quick exit, closing the door.

 

Jack casts a small look at Ianto, who stares persistently away.

 

Jack goes to exit.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Toshiko is at her computer, Owen and Gwen nearby.

 

JACK

What’ve you got, Tosh?

 

TOSHIKO

When the rift opened this morning, at the park, something came through.

 

JACK

Our music box.

 

GWEN

That alien thing was a music box?

 

TOSHIKO

It didn’t come alone. There was something much larger, at least the size of an elephant.

 

JACK

Are we picking up anything on the scanners?

 

TOSHIKO

Nothing yet, no. It’s like one minute it was there and the next it was gone.

 

GWEN

Could it have gone back through the rift?

 

JACK

I doubt it.

(beat)

Keep an eye out. Let me know if anything changes.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Toshiko sits at her computer. Jack, Gwen and Owen stand around.

 

Ianto approaches.

 

JACK

(to Gwen)

How are things with you and Rhys?

 

GWEN

Fine, everything’s just fine.

 

JACK

You wouldn’t be holding back on us now, would you?

 

GWEN

Really. It’s fine. Rhys’ sister, May, is having a baby so we’re going down to Ipswich for the weekend.

 

OWEN

(unimpressed)

Wooo. Ipswich.

 

GWEN

You’re just jealous because I’m the only one in a relationship.

 

JACK

Hey now, don’t just go assuming things there.

 

GWEN

What, you’re in a relationship?

 

JACK

Yes. Isn’t that right, Ianto?

 

All eyes turn to Ianto.

 

Ianto shifts uncomfortably in his stance.

 

IANTO

There’s been a break-in at a military storage facility. Apparently, the thief stole twenty-three pounds of plutonium.

 

EXT. FACILITY - DAY

 

The Storage Facility is basically a large, green building, with doors like an airplane hanger. It is in a pavement lot, surrounded by chain-link fence. There is a sign on the fence:

 

PROPERTY OF THE MILITARY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED

 

The black Torchwood jeep pulls up, passed the gate, parks.

 

Jack steps out of the driver side. Owen from the passenger side. Gwen and Ianto out of the back.

 

INT. FACILITY - DAY

 

A very high ceiling, dully lit with yellow bulbs. Stacks of packed-up boxes line almost every viewable area. There are several large things here and there covered with green tarp.

 

Two dead bodies are within view, their faces and upper bodies covered with white sheets.

 

Jack, Ianto, Owen and Gwen enter, gear in hand. They are being led by a SOLDIER.

 

JACK

-and we’ll also need the surveillance tapes from this morning.

 

SOLDIER

Yes sir. Is that all?

 

JACK

Yeh. Thanks.

 

SOLDIER

There are the bodies.

 

The Soldier gestures toward the bodies. Owen and Gwen go immediately over to nearest one.

 

SOLDIER

If you need anything, I’ll be just outside.

 

Jack nods. The Soldier leaves.

 

Owen is hunched down, leaning over the dead body. 

 

Gwen stands over his shoulder. Owen peels the white sheet away from the face.

 

GWEN

Oh my God.

 

OWEN

Jack. You’ll want to see this.

 

Jack goes over, Ianto trailing behind.

 

JACK

What is it?

 

The face is white, eyes wide open. Lips, nostrils and eyelids are pale blue. There are blue and purple splotches in the skin, frost on the eyelashes and hair.

 

Owen reaches out, intending to close the eyes. The moment his fingers make contact, several of the eyelashes break off.

 

IANTO

Human ice lolly.

 

FADE OUT.

 

END OF ACT ONE


	3. Act Two

 

ACT TWO

 

FADE IN:

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Toshiko sits at her computer, Gwen next to her.

 

Ianto walks by.

 

TOSHIKO

I’ve scanned through every frame and there’s nothing there.

 

GWEN

You’d think the facility tapes would have caught something.

 

TOSHIKO

I know. It’s like the attacker was invisible.

 

Ianto walks passed them, coffee in hand, Gwen follows him with her eyes.

 

INT. MEDICAL AREA - DAY

 

Ianto walks on the balcony over-looking the medical area.

 

He stops, watching below.

 

Owen is doing an autopsy on one of the frozen soldiers - partially thawed.

 

Gwen walks over to Ianto, leaning against the railing.

 

GWEN

So.

(beat)

Jack.

 

IANTO

What about him?

 

GWEN

You’re dating?

 

Ianto is caught off-guard and sputters into his coffee, becoming fidgety and embarrassed.

 

IANTO

No, not technically. He has asked, but, see, we haven’t, I mean... A date. Not, not yet.

 

GWEN

Oh. Are you going to?

 

IANTO

I, well, I did say-

 

Jack comes up suddenly.

 

JACK

There’s been another attack.

 

GWEN

Where at this time?

 

JACK

A hospital. Oxygen tanks were stolen. Four of the staff on duty were frozen solid in a matter of seconds.

 

INT. HUB - NIGHT

 

Ianto moves down through the hub, picking up empty pizza boxes and coffee mugs.

 

Toshiko is sitting at her computer, looking over video footage from the hospital break-in.

 

IANTO

Tosh? The others left over an hour ago. What are you doing still here?

 

TOSHIKO

I’m going over the tapes from the hospital. There has to be a clue, or something that I’m missing. There’s always something.

 

IANTO

It’s half three. You should go home, get some sleep. Give it a fresh eye in the morning.

 

TOSHIKO

You’re probably right. I... -hang on.

 

IANTO

What? Did you find something?

 

TOSHIKO

Maybe.

 

The video frame of the hospital is full-screen on Toshiko’s computer. It shows a NURSE laying dead on the ground, frozen to death.

 

Toshiko pulls the video feed backwards, three frames, until the Nurse is standing on her feet, but slouched strangely to one side.

 

There is an odd shadow up against the Nurse.

 

TOSHIKO

Right, there.

 

IANTO

I don’t see anything.

 

TOSHIKO

Look.

 

Toshiko points out the odd shadow.

 

TOSHIKO

There shouldn’t be a shadow there. Now let’s see what we can do here...

 

In full geek-tech mode, Toshiko pushes the video feed back one more frame and the shadow takes on the shape of a body, but it’s still mostly blurred.

 

Toshiko selects the blur with her cursor, identifying and singling it out.

 

The selected image fills the screen.

 

Toshiko hits a few computer keys and the picture enhances, brightens.

 

The colored static of the image is pulled into it’s proper place to reveal the face of David.

 

Ianto stares in surprised recognition.

 

IANTO

I’ve seen him before. That’s the man from the park.

 

EXT. PARK - DAY

 

They return to the park.

 

JACK

He must’ve been here for a reason. Fan out, see what you can find.

 

Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Owen descend upon the woods.

 

Ianto walks a few feet to the left of Jack, while Gwen and Owen head off out of sight.

 

JACK

Are you embarrassed?

 

IANTO

Pardon?

 

JACK

Of me. Us.

 

IANTO

I... no.

(beat)

With all due respect, sir, we should keep our minds on the job.

 

JACK

Right.

 

A moment.

 

IANTO

What makes you think I’m embarrassed?

 

JACK

You haven’t told anyone.

 

IANTO

I told Martha.

 

JACK

That’s different. She was only here for a week.

 

IANTO

You haven’t told any either.

 

JACK

I don’t want you be embarrassed.

 

IANTO

I’m not! I just, I, well...

 

JACK

Sounds like embarrassment to me.

 

Ianto turns his attention from the ground to give Jack a look and suddenly there is a thud as he walks into something.

 

IANTO

Ow.

 

Ianto reaches out, placing a hand on something that cannot be seen.

 

JACK

What is it?

 

Ianto moves his hand around a bit, hitting an invisible switch.

 

A door slides open, from the ground up, stalling at about 5 feet tall.

 

Ianto jumps back a bit as blue sparks shoot out of nowhere from somewhere above him.

 

Somewhere within the door, red lights flicker on and off.

 

Ianto gives Jack a questioning look.

 

Jack taps the communication device at his ear.

 

JACK

Gwen. Owen. We found something.

 

INT. DOOR - DAY

 

Ianto and Jack step through the door and into a small room that looks like the cockpit of a spaceship.

 

A red light flashes on and off up in one corner.

 

The place is in shambles.

 

Wires, glass and broken machinery lay about.

 

It’s obvious that this ship had been in some sort of crash.

 

There is a blue liquid-gel gooping off of a broken console and smeared in a few areas.

 

JACK

Apparently somebody is not very good at landing their plane.

 

Ianto examines the blue goo.

 

IANTO

It did survive. What ever it was. Is.

 

JACK

I’ll get Owen to grab a sample of that.

 

GWEN (O.O.V)

Jack? Ianto?

 

EXT. FOREST - DAY

 

Owen and Gwen stand about.

 

OWEN

Where the hell are they?

 

Jack and Ianto exit the door.

 

GWEN

Jack!

 

JACK

We found a ship.

 

GWEN

Where is it?

 

IANTO

It’s invisible.

 

GWEN

Oh. Of course it is.

 

OWEN

I wonder where the Pilot is?

 

There is a moment of silence, and then there are crunching noises of approaching footsteps.

 

Jack, Owen, Ianto and Gwen hide.

 

David comes up, hits the invisible release and, after a moment of hesitation, enters.

 

Hand motioning, and the Torchwood team surround the opening, still hidden.

 

David comes back out, a small piece of machinery in hand.

 

The team jump him, capturing him.

 

David tries to go for his pocket, but Owen gets David with a taser gun.

 

Jack reaches into the pocket David was going for and pulls out a stopwatch.

 

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

 

David is tied to a chair. Jack stands in front of him, Ianto lurking behind Jack holding a tray of thing that Jack took from David.

 

Jack holds up the stopwatch.

 

JACK

Nice stopwatch. It looks like Ianto’s.

 

Jack passes the stopwatch over to Ianto as David glares at them.

 

Ianto looks at the stopwatch with interest, flipping it over.

 

IANTO

Not exactly like mine. Mine doesn’t have this.

 

Ianto gestures to the back of David’s stopwatch at the black insignia of a robin.

 

Ianto places the stopwatch onto the tray.

 

JACK

What’s your name?

 

DAVID

You would never be able to pronounce it.

 

JACK

What’s your Earth name then?

 

DAVID

I don’t have one.

 

JACK

Let’s call you David, then. You look like a David.

 

David is not pleased.

 

JACK

So, David, what’s a nice guy like you doing on a planet like this?

 

DAVID

My ship was pulled through the rift.

(beat)

I don’t like it here.

 

JACK

Shame. Cause you’re going to be spending a lot of quality time in this room.

 

DAVID

I don’t mean here-here, you dolt. Earth. It’s a dreadful, nasty place.

 

IANTO

Yes, of course. Horrible things happen. Hospitals are broken into, people are frozen to death. Just awful.

 

David glares at Ianto.

 

DAVID

I didn’t have a choice. I need oxygen to survive.

 

JACK

Then take a deep breath. The air here is-

 

DAVID

-Laughable. There’s barely any oxygen left, the atmosphere is practically toxic. I’ve been reading up on your history. Your Earth was glorious, once. Before you destroyed it. But I suppose everything can be fixed.

(beat)

Carafea, it’s hot in here.

 

JACK

That doesn’t explain the plutonium, though.

(smiles)

Got hungry, did you?

 

David smiles back.

 

DAVID

Lovely thing, plutonium. Put it together with this, that, a few other things. Tweak it properly and you can make one hell of a pulse.

 

JACK

Is that so?

 

DAVID

Yeh. In fact, I bet you could make one large enough to wipe out the entire human race.

 

Jack stops smiling.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Owen is at his desk.

 

Toshiko is at her own desk.

 

Ianto stands, leaning behind Toshiko, looking at her computer screen.

 

Jack walks up to Toshiko’s desk.

 

JACK

How’s our prisoner?

 

Toshiko brings up the video feed of David’s cell on her computer screen.

 

The video feed shows David passed out on the floor.

 

JACK

Owen! With me!

 

Jack and Owen rush off, just as Gwen enters.

 

GWEN

What’s going on?

TOSHIKO

There’s something wrong with David.

 

Gwen gets a look at Toshiko’s screen.

 

GWEN

Well he had been complaining about the heat.

 

TOSHIKO

He probably passed out from heat exhaustion.

 

GWEN

Do aliens get heat exhaustion?

 

Ianto passes by, going to a near-by wall. He turns down a thermostat, then returns to Toshiko’s desk, to watch the ensuing bits on the video feed.

 

Toshiko clicks on the volume.

 

INT. CELL ROOM - DAY

 

Jack and Owen enter the cell, Jack with his gun trained on David, Owen dropping to the floor next to David and starts checking pulse and whatnot.

 

OWEN

God, he’s freezing.

 

David suddenly take a deep breath.

 

Jack blinks and suddenly David and Owen are gone.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

In surprise, Ianto backs off from watching the screen.

 

Quickly regaining himself, Ianto heads to the door.

 

IANTO

I’m going to-

 

Ianto is suddenly hit in the head by unseen force. With a sharp exhale of breath, he falls to the ground as though he had just been struck by a limbo pole.

 

GWEN

Ianto!

 

Gwen rushes over to him.

 

GWEN

Are you alright?

 

Ianto brings himself up to a sit, pushing away Gwen’s attempted assistance.

 

IANTO

I’m fine.

 

Toshiko plays back the last few seconds of the video feed, watching the moment where David and Owen disappeared.

 

TOSHIKO

Impossible. They can’t have just disappeared. Not both of them...

 

She plays it back again.

 

TOSHIKO

Ah-ha!

 

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

 

A screen capture of the dark shadow between Jack and Owen, in the cell.

 

TOSHIKO

And the next frame after that was this.

 

A larger dark shadow in front of Jack, Owen no longer there.

 

The lights flick on, Toshiko moves to stand in front of the screen. Ianto, Jack and Gwen sit at their places at the table.

 

Ianto fiddles with a PAD.

 

TOSHIKO

Originally I thought that David might have the ability to go invisible. But now I’m not so sure.

(beat)

I think he is somehow able to manipulate time.

 

JACK

That would certainly help in evil plots to destroy mankind.

 

GWEN

So what do we do about Owen?

 

TOSHIKO

There is a tracking device in Owen’s jacket. It’s been moving at an incredible speed for the last few minutes.

 

GWEN

Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s go after it.

 

TOSHIKO

We can’t, it’s going too fast.

 

JACK

How fast is too fast? Are we talking jetplane, airforce one fast?

 

TOSHIKO

Speed of sound fast.

 

JACK

That’s pretty damn fast.

 

IANTO

No, wait. It’s slowed down.

 

All eyes turn to Ianto.

 

JACK

Where are they?

 

IANTO

Corner of Liz and Henway. Abandoned warehouse.

 

As Jack, Gwen and Ianto quickly get to their feet and, with Tosh, rush out the door:

 

JACK

Ah! So cliche! Why don’t the villains ever do this in style? Haven’t they heard of Cagney? Sinatra? Marilyn Monroe?

 

IANTO

I think the pink feather boas might clash with their alien death rays.

 

EXT. WAREHOUSE - DAY

 

The abandoned warehouse is large, stony grey brick, various broken windows and one of the doors is boarded up.

 

Vines growing up the sides, the yard is barren, with few spikes of yellowed grass sticking up here and there.

 

It looks like a warehouse right out of a comic book.

 

INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY

 

The inside of the warehouse is not much different from the outside.

 

It’s dirty, with stone walls and flooring, pipes streaming across the ceiling in different stages of rusting.

 

Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Toshiko stand just inside the entrance.

 

TOSHIKO

God, it’s freezing in here.

 

JACK

Gwen, Tosh, head that way. Ianto, with me.

 

Gwen and Toshiko head off in one direction, Jack and Ianto in the other.

 

INT. SOUTH WING HALL - DAY

 

Jack and Ianto walk down the hall in silence.

 

Jack steals a look at Ianto twice.

 

JACK

Cold?

 

IANTO

I’m fine, sir.

 

JACK

Your lips are turning blue.

 

Jack takes off his greatcoat while:

 

IANTO

It’s not a problem, that always happen-

 

Jack thumps his greatcoat around Ianto’s shoulders.

 

JACK

Problem solved.

 

IANTO

Sir... Jack. Please. You’re going to-

 

Ianto is cut off by the sounds of yelling i nthe distance.

 

JACK

Owen.

 

Jack and Ianto break into a run, turning a corner and ending up outside of a door.

 

OWEN (O.O.V)

You bastard! Let me out of here! I swear when I get free, I’m going to-

 

JACK

Owen! Are you alright?!

 

Jack tries to open the door. It’s locked.

 

OWEN (O.O.V)

Jack?

(beat)

Jack! Let me out!

 

Jack backs up two steps, Ianto following suit.

 

JACK

Owen, step back from the door!

 

OWEN (O.O.V)

Right!

 

Jack pulls out his revolver, aims it at the lock and fires.

 

The door bangs open.

 

INT. SOUTH WING ROOM - DAY

 

Owen, uninjured, sits on the floor with his hands tied.

 

Ianto immediately rushes over and unties Owens hands.

 

Jack holsters his gun.

 

IANTO

(into the comm)

Gwen, Tosh. We’ve found Owen.

 

TOSHIKO

(over the comm)

Is he alright?

 

IANTO

(into the comm)

He’s fine.

 

JACK

Owen, what happened back in the vault?

 

OWEN

It was so strange. It was like David disappeared and then suddenly he was right there, holding onto my arm. We walked out, Jack, almost casually. You weren’t even moving, like you’d been frozen. It was as if...

 

JACK

As if time was standing still?

 

OWEN

Yeh.

(beat)

It’s the stopwatch, Jack. I don’t know how, but that was how he could do it. Whatever it was.

 

GWEN

(over the comm)

Jack, Ianto. You’ll want to come look at this.

 

JACK

(into the comm)

On our way.

 

INT. MACHINE ROOM - DAY

 

Jack-Owen-Ianto join Tosh-Gwen. They found the Pulse machine

 

Toshiko has put a remote-activated explosive device to it

 

Ianto turns a corner and walks directly into David

 

David holds Ianto at gun-point

 

 

FADE OUT.

 

END OF ACT TWO


	4. Act Three

ACT THREE

 

FADE IN:

 

INT. MACHINE ROOM - DAY

 

DAVID

Setting off the pulse machine will destroy all existence of humans and human-related items. After four thousand years, the Earth will have returned to it’s former glory.

 

GWEN

How will that help you? You’ll be dead by then.

DAVID

I have my stopwatch.

(beat)

The footage you have of me, that’s not me going really fast, it’s time going really slow.

OWEN

You’re telling us that you can manipulate time?

DAVID

Well aren’t you clever?

(beat)

Thousands of years can pass which will only seem like a minute to me. Alternatively, I can make one minute...

JACK

-Last for a thousand years. And the pulse won’t destroy you. You’ve built that capsule to protect you.

DAVID

There’s hope for you humans yet! It’s a shame I have to destroy you.

JACK

I won’t let you.

DAVID

You don’t have a choice.

 

David shoots Jack, twice, Jack staggers back.

 

DAVID

You’re not human!

JACK

Don’t worry, David. You’re still special.

 

Ianto pushes an arm against David, attempting escape.

 

DAVID

No!

 

David shoots at Ianto. A bullet pierces Ianto’s arm, the same moment that David is shot in the chest.

 

Ianto falls forward from the force of the shot, and directly into the entrance of the capsule.

 

INT. CAPSULE - DAY

 

The door of the capsule quickly slides shut as Ianto turns around.

 

Ianto panics, banging his hands against the glass.

 

IANTO

Jack!

 

INT. MACHINE ROOM - DAY

 

Jack’s, his gun drawn and pointing at David.

 

David swings around to point at Jack, and they have a stalemate.

 

Jack sees Ianto through the glass door of the capsule.

 

From within the capsule, Jack sees Ianto stop banging on the glass and hold up a stopwatch.

 

JACK

He’s sealed up tight in there. That door won’t open again until the pulse goes off, am I right?

DAVID

(in distress)

No!

JACK

Your plan won’t work.

DAVID

It will! I’ll just... I’ll just build another capsule!

JACK

I won’t let you.

 

David looks at Jack, fear marring his features.

 

DAVID

You won’t have a choice.

 

David pulls the stopwatch from his pocket.

 

David presses the button on the top of it.

 

Tick-tick noises arise.

 

David looks down to the stopwatch.

 

Jack smirks.

 

David flips over the stopwatch. It does not have the black robin insignia on it. This is Ianto’s stopwatch.

 

DAVID

What? No. No!

 

David frantically hits the button several times over.

 

JACK

Give up.

DAVID

You don’t understand! I’ll die!

JACK

We can help you.

DAVID

I don’t want your help!

 

David pulls the pulse activation device from his pocket and reaches to push the button.

 

JACK

No!

 

Jack shoots David in the hand, just as David hits the button.

 

The Pulse machine trembles, shaking the entire room as it powers up.

 

Blue sparks fly, this way and that. The lights dim.

 

Jack looks around frantically, eyes settling on the explosives.

 

Jack and Gwen make eye contact. Jack nods.

 

Gwen flips the switch, grabbing Owen’s arm in a death grip, as Tosh hugs Owen.

 

As the room explodes, Jack jumps forward. He grabs Gwen’s shoulder.

 

The explosion envelopes David, his body instantly melting away from the heat.

 

INT. CAPSULE - DAY

 

Ianto looks on, horrified, from the safety of the capsule.

 

Bits of fire and exploding debris come against the glass, with echoes of his screaming teammates.

 

Ianto does not notice the glowing flash of blue on the outer rim of the explosion.

 

INT. MACHINE ROOM - DAY

 

The explosion ends, red fire-light fading to white.

 

The capsule door slides open, revealing Ianto sitting the floor.

 

Ianto pulls himself to his feet and stumbles out of the capsule.

 

The blood from his nose dried and staining his shirt. Tears running down his face.

 

The white lights flicker a few times, then leave the room with the red back-up generator lights.

 

Small fires rage, here and there.

 

The sprinklers are chunks of metal, melted to the ceiling.

 

The pulse machine is destroyed, partially melted and charred.

 

SERIES OF SCENES:

\- Ianto looks around the room.

\- Ianto screams silently.

\- Ianto does a half-spin, then bends, hands against his knees.

\- Ianto crouches, burying his head in his arms.

\- Ianto walks shakily towards the place where he last saw Jack.

\- Ianto falls to his knees, and lowers his head.

:END SERIES OF SCENES

 

INT. HUB - NIGHT

 

The Hub is harshly lit, with bright lights and dark shadows. The colors seem dull and faded.

 

Ianto, pale and tear-streaked, with blood on his nose and shirt, wearing Jack’s greatcoat, sits at Toshiko’s desk.

 

IANTO (V.O.)

How could he just abandon me?

 

A moment.

 

IANTO

I guess I’ll never know.

 

Ianto sighs, then stands.

 

He heads across the hub, toward’s Jack’s office.

 

INT. JACK’S OFFICE - NIGHT

 

Ianto enters.

 

The alien music box is on the desk. Ianto takes it in hand.

 

Ianto rotates the cube until it clicks into place. He touches the dark bauble and it begins to glow a deep blue.

 

Tinkling music begins.

 

Ianto starts to get teary-eyed again.

 

There are far-away screaming voices.

 

Ianto spins around in fear and confusion.

 

He dashes out of Jack’s office.

 

INT. HUB - DAY

 

Ianto runs into the hub, hockey stick in hand, the screaming still faded.

 

In the very center of the hub, there is a large glowing, swirling anomaly.

 

A dark blob-like, static mass appears at the centre of it, against the floor.

 

The static mass clears, revealing:

 

Jack suspended in a mid-air leap, right hand on Gwen’s shoulder, left hand on his wrist.

 

Gwen’s hand on Owen’s arm.

 

Owen being hugged by Toshiko.

 

They all look frightened.

 

As they unfreeze, the faded-screaming grows louder, until they are completely animated.

 

Jack falls forward, which sets off a chain reaction knocking Gwen, Owen and Toshiko to the ground.

 

They land in a heap.

 

Ianto looks on, stunned to silence.

 

Jack jumps to a stand, pleased with himself.

 

The others clamber to their feet as if in a drunken haze.

 

JACK

Ah-ha! I knew I’d set it right. Ianto, what day is it?

 

Ianto stares, in shock.

 

IANTO

Th-thursday, sir.

JACK

Three days off, that’s not bad.

IANTO

What... what...?

 

Jack taps the time device on his wrist.

 

JACK

Time Agent’s best friend. Never leave home without it.

 

Ianto is over-joyed.

 

JACK

Right! So, who’s hungry? Ianto-

 

Ianto comes forward and kisses Jack. Jack is surprised.

 

They break apart and hug.

 

IANTO

I thought you’d left.

JACK

Now, why would I do that?

 

Ianto buries his head in Jack’s shoulder.

 

END OF SHOW.


End file.
